The Chase
by Isabella1492
Summary: Diego and Felipe's points of view.
1. Chapter 1

'Felipe, there's quite interesting news, my friend!', Zorro yelled as the boy welcomed him back to the masked hero's cave.

The boy helped the man disrobe form the black hero attire and becoming timid Diego once again, as he listened attentively to the story of the new adventure Diego had had as the masked hero.

As they walked out of the fireplace door and out of the house Diego told him about this Indian who apparently was clever enough to be able to track Zorro down. Diego was a little worried, but he didn't show it. Felipe was quite the worrier himself, and he needed to feel safe and secure. It was probably due to what the boy had been through and Diego was quite patient with him in this regard. He also felt guilty. He knew Felipe had to worry sick each time he left the cave dressed as Zorro. Each time he had returned so far, Felipe had been waiting for him. Even the countless times he had had to ride late at night, and he had tip toed passed the child's bedroom not to wake him up, he had been welcomed back by a very sleepy Felipe fussing about in the cave. How could he blame him? Loosing your parents once was terrible, he couldn't imagine how Felipe would fare if he himself died too. For this reason he always tried to minimize the risks and to laugh about them. He didn't believe in lying to children , though, so when Felipe asked ' Do you think this Gray Wing might follow your tracks here from town?' He told the truth.

'Yes, I believe he could follow Zorro's tracks here from town. – he paused to add drama- If there were tracks to follow.'

He kept walking as he silently chuckled. He loved to play with the boy he thought of as his son. He knew Felipe had stopped walking and he could imagine the puzzled look the boy most probably had on his face. He heard the child's steps as he hurried to catch up with him, and when the boy did, he wrapped his arm around his shoulders, as he burst into a laugh!

Felipe sighed. He hated it when Diego treated him like a small child. He was nearly fifteen years old, after all, just about 10 months, now, according to the age everyone had agreed he was at when he was found. The caballero stopped laughing and started explaining.

'You know that Don Pizarro lets his sheep graze at the outskirts of the pueblo? Well, I'll make sure they're scared enough to actually enter the pueblo.' Felipe grinned. Diego could read eagerness on his face. 'Care to help?', he asked, knowing too well the answer.


	2. Chapter 2

Felipe was overjoyed. It was the first time he was offered to be part of a plan. He nearly jumped up and down. Diego couldn't resist. Even though he clearly knew what he was going to do would make his boy angry, he ruffled his hair affectionately. Felipe was growing up indeed, but he still had behaviors of a younger child, and to be honest, Diego loved that side of him. As most parents, Diego was not ready to let him go, yet, and Felipe, like most of the early teenagers in the world, thought he was ready to fly on his own much more than he actually was. The boy looked at his mentor with a fed up look that spoke volume, but Diego chose to ignore it. 'Come on, let's saddle our horses!', he told him.

Diego observed the boy as they were working on their mounts. Felipe was now quite the expert in saddling horses, with all the practice he had had with Tornado so far. His moves were gentle yet quick, and he took great care in placing the blankets. Surly his horse never got any blanket sores!

In no time at all they both were mounted and headed downtown. Diego took the advantage and told the boy how proud he was of how the child was growing up. Felipe blushed and looked down as he signed his thanks. It was true. Diego was very proud of his boy. He knew he had been teaching him things a parent should never do, like lying to his very own grandfather figure, and he knew he was imposing on the boy a workload not many teenagers had to deal with, both with chores and schoolwork, but the boy always complied. 'Don't feel embarrassed, Felipe. You are a very good boy. Sorry, you are a very good young man.' Felipe smiled back at Diego's correction of his status. He was going to reply that he wasn't such a good young man, that he did behaved poorly from time to time and he could give plenty of examples to support that idea, but the sheep herd came into view.

'Ready?' asked the caballero. Felipe nodded and pressed his horse's flanks with his heels. The horse's immediate response to the command startled the sheep and Diego had no hard time at all to push the herbivores toward the town. Felipe laughed, clearly enjoying himself and clearly happy to be of real help for Zorro and Diego felt happy too. Being close on the job was something they seldom did, and something they should be doing more often.


	3. Chapter 3

When they entered Los Angeles Felipe was still laughing and the ruckus the sheep caused didn't help! Diego kept hissing at him to stop, but the boy just couldn't. The man shouldn't have worried, though. As soon as the boy saw the face of the approaching alcalde he immediately stopped laughing. The young caballero could sense the boy's fear. Actually, Ramón was nothing short than furious, his plan completely destroyed by Diego's clumsiness. Diego inwardly laughed at the man, but he kept quiet and apologized, even feigning surprise for having missed Zorro once again.

'Don't worry. The next time you see him, he'll be at the end of a rope.' Hissed the man. Diego didn't want Felipe to hear those things. The boy perfectly knew the risks involved in their 'little project' but he was still, well, a human being, let alone a boy. And living in constant fear of loosing your loved ones was not a good thing. Diego always tried to make things look a lot easier than they actually were and tried to avoid any mention to any real danger he faced, in order to make his boy feel more secure. That was the reason Felipe had strict orders to stay home during Zorro rides.

For this reason he used a disbelieving tone when he asked: 'So you are actually going to capture him then?' He wanted Felipe to feel his patron was safe. But the Indian, Gray Wing, destroyed that feeble attempt too. 'Do not be upset, Alacalde, – the man quietly said. - The sheep have not destroyed anything of importance'. And he pointed towards the pueblo gate stating that out of the pueblo there would be more tracks.

The ride home was quiet for Diego and Felipe. Their plan had been a complete failure. Diego knew that it was the first time he was in real danger. He had to think of a way out quite soon. First of all, he had to make the alcalde believe Diego and Zorro were in two different places at the same time. He could make a fake Zorro out of poles, as he had done the night sir Edmund had passed away, but Tornado would head right home, leading the posse there too. He needed someone who could ride Tornado as he joined the search party. And that someone could only be the last person he wanted to run risks for him. And yet, if the Alcalde found who Zorro really was, not only Felipe, but also his father would be at risk of being charged with treason. He looked at Felipe and sighed.

'There's still a way out, but you'll have to help me. I'm asking something very dangerous from you. And I don't like it a bit. Would you ride Tornado while I join the search party?'

Of course, Felipe nodded eagerly. Of course he would do anything to help Diego save his skin! Besides, riding Tornado was a dream of his… He signed a question and the caballero couldn't avoid laughing. 'If they fit, you'll wear Zorro's clothes, too! Let's hurry home!'


	4. Chapter 4

The costume fit was a disaster. Zorro's shirt was twice as big as Felipe's chest, not to mention the sleeves, that nearly got to his knees. His trousers were no better and the hat clouded his eyes. Diego laughed. 'No, definitely you can't be Zorro… You still have a lot of growing up to do.' He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. 'Don't be disappointed, Felipe. The attire is not of importance. You must avoid being seen anyway… that's the whole point of this charade!'

'You must be very careful. Don't get caught. Ride as far away from here as you can, and keep very far from the hacienda. Go south, through Cielo Ridge, until you reach that old mine my father ordered closed before you were even born. For no reason at all enter that mine. ' Felipe nodded. He certainly didn't want to be closed in. Alejandro had always told him horror stories about miners being trapped for days at a time and even dying!

'Then, after a while, ride into the stream, stay where Tornado is ankle deep but you still can see through the water: you don't want him getting a strain! When you reach the forest, get out of the water. By then we should have lost your trucks. Hide where the trees are not too tight yet, and wait for me at the outskirts. Vale?' The boy nodded again.

'There's one more thing. The most important thing, actually. If you are caught the Alcalde will want to know who Zorro is and he'll do anything in his power to find out. Tell him. Right away. I don't want you to get tortured. Clear?' The boy shrugged. He wasn't going to get caught.

'I know you won't get caught. Just in case, Felipe. Do I have your word that you will talk right away?' The boy looked down. He just couldn't promise to give their secret away. Diego looked at the child and placed his hands on his shoulders.

'Do you remember last summer, when you cut your leg with that iron wire in the barn and the doctor had to stitch you for more than half an hour? – Felipe winced. He remembered far too well for his liking! - I'll never be able to forget how much you cried. – The boy looked down, slightly ashamed. – There's no need to be embarrassed. 23 stitches, Felipe! A grown man would have cried, let alone a boy who was not 14 yet! Well, that pain will only be mild discomfort compared to what the alcalde will subject you to if you don't talk. I cannot bear to have one of the three persons in the world I love the most to go through that kind of pain, especially because that person is a fourteen year old boy and I think of him as my son. Do I have your promise?' Felipe still looked down. If Diego couldn't bear the idea of him in pain, Felipe couldn't bear the idea to betray him. 'I'm waiting, Felipe. You're not going to help me if I don't have your word.' One simple nod, and Diego hugged him. 'Thank you.' Now, let's get ready.'

Your weight is about 45 kg, right?' – he asked the boy, who shrugged. Diego looked at him in disbelief and sighed. 'Go to my bedroom. There's a chest of drawers with books on it. As I saddle Tornado, pick the only book with an emerald green cover. It's the book where I've been recording information about you since the day you came.' Looking at the child's questioning look a half exasperated Diego urged him to go. 'We don't have time to loose. Can't questions wait?' Felipe nodded and darted off the room and Diego let out a sigh, again. Felipe was too young for that load of responsibilities. And yet it was the only possibility he had not to be tracked down. And yet… 'If the child gets caught and hurt or killed, or both, I'll never forgive myself', he thought.

Felipe was soon back in the cave with the book in his hands. He gave it to Diego who flipped through it then close it and went to collect little bags from a corner. 'We can't underestimate this man, Felipe. These weights might make him think he's on the trail of a grown man.' He placed the weights into Tornado's saddlebag, then he weighted the right stirrup so that Felipe could easily mount. 'But you need to ride quickly'. Felipe nodded and mounted Tornado then he started going through the cave to start his task. Before he was gone, Diego called him back. 'Be very careful. Don't be too self assured . The very least thing I want is for you to get caught.' Felipe rolled his eyes and nodded and Diego felt a knot in his throat. It was obvious Felipe was not taking the whole thing seriously enough, or perhaps he was not fully aware of the danger he had agree to put himself into. For one thing, it was good, because fear often makes you make mistakes, but not being afraid often makes you careless. And that boy just couldn't allow himself to be careless. He sighed, then he went through the secret passage into the library and then he moved to the barn where he saddled Esperanza.


	5. Chapter 5

The two miles ride to town was incredibly long. Diego continued thinking about Felipe. Was he following his advice? Had he tied the twigs to Tornado's tail? Was he riding fast enough? Felipe was a good rider, for his age, but he wasn't as fast as Diego was. And he was not a natural, for sure. His stance on the horse was not excellent. Alejandro had been teaching him for ages, but Felipe had had very little regard for form. He just loved riding. All the technicalities were not for him. Like in fencing. He had strength and bravery, but very little elegance. 'I want to kill him, not to be elegant', he often told Diego after being reproached for his lack of manners. The man couldn't suppress a smile at the thought.

Soon the town's gate came into view and Diego placed a mask on his worried face. He approached the search party and proposed himself as a guide through his father's lands. It was thanks to Mendoza if the alcalde accepted at last, but Diego didn't like the look on Gray Wing's face. It was as if he had sensed something close to the truth.

Meanwhile, Felipe was enjoying his task very much. He cantered here and there, swept the floor with a branch tied to Tornado's saddle and galloped as fast as he could without falling out. He felt very proud. He knew all 'men' his age wanted to ride Zorro's horse. His friends and he himself had dreamed about that many times. For the brief moment of a mere instant he thought that perhaps he could brag a little about it, but then he remembered what was at stake here. The life of the very person he thought of his family might be jeopardized by his own actions and he felt ashamed. For a mere minute he thought about how much simpler his life had been before Zorro. He had not really been a normal child, ever. Everyone else he knew had a father and a mother, had a clear station in life, could hear and talk. Though he knew there were children who had lost their parents, Felipe had never met them. Alejandro had always shielded him form anything concerning the word 'orphan'. Also, as he was growing up as a caballero but he was not one, he truly had the best of both worlds. He was the only child in Los Angeles who counted young caballeros and peons among his friends. So, after all, his life had been a good one. With caballero friends he could play knights and heroes and talk about how mean their teacher were, which, of course, was hardly true. With peons children he played farming games. So far, despite the tragedy of the death of his parents, he had had a good, carefree life. When Diego had returned all that had changed. Schooling had become harder and more serious, chores had increased, and time with his friends had decrease significantly. It was hard, sometimes, for Felipe not to be able to hang out with his friends. And yet, he was proud to be part of something so big. He loved helping Diego and Alejandro. Besides he felt very grateful for what they had done for him. They had chosen to save him and to love him. Not many other caballeros would have done the same. He had heard what Don Julio once had told Alejandro, soon after Felipe had realized he was able to hear again. 'If I had been your son, Alejandro, I'd delivered that deaf child to the nearest orphanage, if I had picked him up at all.' Alejandro had replied sternly. 'Thankfully for both Felipe and me, my son is not you. That child's been as dear as a grandchild to me, if not as a son. Life would have been much harder without him, with Diego gone.'

Felipe smiled and slowed down. He felt lucky. He was deeply loved. Suddenly, realizing he was daydreaming, he started a gallop once again.


	6. Chapter 6

Diego was less and less concerned. True, Gray Wing had not lost track of Zorro once, but he had not commented on what he was seeing once. And that was a good thing. It meant he didn't find anything unusual. He was starting feeling less tens and even enjoying the company of Sargent Mendoza, when suddenly everything changed.

'The tracks change here. From this point on, they are made by the same horse, carrying the same weight. But the rider is different. Not as strong', claimed Gray Wing.

As Ramón rejoiced at the thought of having enough rope to hang the both Zorro and his helper, Diego cringed inside. The mere thought that Felipe would be hanging at his side made him certain that having made him part of the whole thing had been a huge mistake, something terribly wrong. He had to save the boy, if that were the last thing he did. The remark the Indian made that the second rider moved much slower drew pictures of a very frightened Felipe surrounded by the Alcalde's men. He just couldn't allow that to happen, but he was powerless. It all was up to a fourteen year old. Diego realized he had been very stupid to trust him with something so well above Felipe's possibilities.

Felipe however was totally unaware of the danger that lingered upon his head. He was very well aware, however, that he was hungry, tired and thirsty. And the road to the old mine was still quite long. Felipe had been there once, with Alejandro, but the drive had seemed shorter to him. Perhaps, being with somebody else shortened the perception of the length of the road. Or perhaps the pain in his leg, due to the fact that Tornado was so much bigger than his own pony, was almost unbearable and made every minute as long as an hour. He took his canteen and tried and drank. It was empty. He had already drunk it all. 'Oh well, soon after the mine I should be able to find water', he though to himself. He regretted he hadn't filled it up at the river by the quicksand, when he had been there hours ago. Or was it minutes ago?

The tracks Gray Wing was following were leading right there, to the area where the quicksand was. Felipe knew the area very well, as he had helped to check the area after some of the cattle had walked right into it, so he had been able to ride right through the area, as he knew where the patches of quicksand and where the stable, firm pieces of land were. The posse members, however, didn't know the territory so well, so they were quite worried. Diego stopped Gray Wing just minutes before he fell into one of the quicksands and it was decided they would cross the river further on downstream. The caballero was happy. That would buy Felipe some more time.


	7. Chapter 7

Felipe couldn't make it any longer. He was hungry, tired and his inner thighs hurt like crazy. Without even realizing it, his riding pace had slowed down a lot. And suddenly he saw them. Round, fat and juicy. Raspberries! A whole bush of them was right in front of him. He looked back, nobody was approaching, so he started picking a few, then a handful,, then he dismounted, hid Tornado and ate berries until his stomach was full again. Suddenly he heard hoof beats. Scared he hid behind a bush that was slightly far away form where he had been eating. He saw the posse nearing and he saw Gray Wing examining the raspberry bush. And when he talked, Felipe's heart skipped a beat. 'The one who helps Zorro is a young man. He ate many berries. An older man would be more careful of his stomach.' Felipe immediately ran away. He mounted Tornado and he started galloping as fast as he could, regardless of the pain in his legs.

Diego's heart skipped a beat too. He had underestimated this man, and he had overestimated Felipe's ability to stay on task. 'For God's sake, Felipe. You knew what was at stake!', thought Diego angrily for a mere second. Then he realized that he had expected too much of Felipe. He, a grown, strong man riding an average sized mare was exhausted. Poor Felipe, with his shorter and less strong legs had been riding a stallion for hours now. And because of the man who had sworn to protect him, he was now at risk of hanging. Diego felt stupid and selfish.

Felipe was no longer able to ride fast. Suddenly he saw a cave in the mountain. Someone had placed bars on its entrance, bt he didn't mind. Afraid and exhausted, Felipe looked back and saw the cloud of dust of the posse. It was not far. Surely, they were going to reach him in no time at all. He had no way out, except, maybe one. He dismounted, slapped Tornado's hide and ran towards the cave. He didn't even stopped to read the signs on the boards. Right at the entrance he stopped. He knew the De la Vegas had always told him not to enter caves he didn't know, but he could already hear the hoof beats of the search party. If he were caught, his life would end anyway, and Diego's too, so he entered the cave anyway. He went along the tunnel, even though it was getting darker and darker. Weird beasts and bugs swarmed by and frightened him, but he kept going, driven by the fear he felt. His heart was pounding so hard that it hurt his chest. His eyes stung, but he was too scared to actually let tears flow. The cave was hot and humid and he was sweating, but he felt cold. A cold that penetrated his bones. He felt stupid for getting himself into this situation. He had not been good enough. He hadn't ridden fast enough, he ahd tired far more easily than he should have had.


	8. Chapter 8

Felipe couldn't make it any longer. He was hungry, tired and his inner thighs hurt like crazy. Without even realizing it, his riding pace had slowed down a lot. And suddenly he saw them. Round, fat and juicy. Raspberries! A whole bush of them was right in front of him. He looked back, nobody was approaching, so he started picking a few, then a handful,, then he dismounted, hid Tornado and ate berries until his stomach was full again. Suddenly he heard hoof beats. Scared he hid behind a bush that was slightly far away form where he had been eating. He saw the posse nearing and he saw Gray Wing examining the raspberry bush. And when he talked, Felipe's heart skipped a beat. 'The one who helps Zorro is a young man. He ate many berries. An older man would be more careful of his stomach.' Felipe immediately ran away. He mounted Tornado and he started galloping as fast as he could, regardless of the pain in his legs.

Diego's heart skipped a beat too. He had underestimated this man, and he had overestimated Felipe's ability to stay on task. 'For God's sake, Felipe. You knew what was at stake!', thought Diego angrily for a mere second. Then he realized that he had expected too much of Felipe. He, a grown, strong man riding an average sized mare was exhausted. Poor Felipe, with his shorter and less strong legs had been riding a stallion for hours now. And because of the man who had sworn to protect him, he was now at risk of hanging. Diego felt stupid and selfish.

Felipe was no longer able to ride fast. Suddenly he saw a cave in the mountain. Someone had placed bars on its entrance, bt he didn't mind. Afraid and exhausted, Felipe looked back and saw the cloud of dust of the posse. It was not far. Surely, they were going to reach him in no time at all. He had no way out, except, maybe one. He dismounted, slapped Tornado's hide and ran towards the cave. He didn't even stopped to read the signs on the boards. Right at the entrance he stopped. He knew the De la Vegas had always told him not to enter caves he didn't know, but he could already hear the hoof beats of the search party. If he were caught, his life would end anyway, and Diego's too, so he entered the cave anyway. He went along the tunnel, even though it was getting darker and darker. Weird beasts and bugs swarmed by and frightened him, but he kept going, driven by the fear he felt. His heart was pounding so hard that it hurt his chest. His eyes stung, but he was too scared to actually let tears flow. The cave was hot and humid and he was sweating, but he felt cold. A cold that penetrated his bones. He felt stupid for getting himself into this situation. He had not been good enough. He hadn't ridden fast enough, he ahd tired far more easily than he should have had.

The posse was at the entrance of the mine in no time at all. 'Please, Felipe… tell me you haven't entered the mine. Please'- thought Diego as a mantra. Gray Wing was quickly to destroy Diego's last hope. Felipe had actually entered the cave and now the alcalde was ordering his men to go inside. Diego thought fast. First he told them that his father had had the mine shaft closed after a cave-in had killed several miners, than, as that was not enough to deter the alcalde, Diego offered to go himself. 'It will be safer if only one man goes. Since it's my father's mine, I will be that man.'

Diego entered the cave. He hoped he would find Felipe than push him through the ventilation shaft the laid somewhere. After that he could go back and tell them Zorro was nowhere to be seen. Probably the Alcalde would send his men in anyway, but Felipe would be safe by then. 'Felipe, stop somewhere' he thought. Felipe however was hearing footsteps, but out of his wits in fear, he didn't recognize them as Diego's own. He kept walking faster and faster, his breathing hard and fast, his eyes stinging because of the dirt and the tears that pushed to come out, and often turning his head back. Suddenly the ground shook, rocks and dust started falling and a terrible noise grumbled. Felipe stopped and panicked. 'I've entered the mine! And it must have caved in once again.' He stopped. There was nothing he could do now. He was lost for ever. He was lucky falling rocks had hit him lightly, probably causing minor bruises, but soon he knew there would be no air. He leaned against a support beam, not knowing what to do. He had never been so scared.


	9. Chapter 9

Diego had been startled by the noise and by the falling rocks, too. Clearly, the alcalde must have sent his men in… And now everyone was trapped in. As soon as the cloud of dust lifted, Diego realized his way out was blocked, but not his way in. And frankly, if he moved quickly, that was quite a good thing. 'I might be able to save Felipe, now', he thought. Felipe was probably safe and scared somewhere. The air was heavier and hotter, he had to hurry, before everyone was doomed. He continued his way further in and at last he saw the poor frightened boy. He hurried to him rejoicing he was all right, then quickly hugged him tight. 'I know this mine has a ventilating shaft. It has to be blocked. We better find it before our air runs out.' He said as he released the boy from his hug, but still holding his shoulders.

This time Felipe didn't complain of being hugged like a child. He actually hold on onto Diego very tight and as they walked deeper and deeper and scarier and scarier, he even grabbed his hand at some point. Everything was just too scary to remember he wanted to act as grown men do.

Diego was scared too. He wasn't absolutely sure the ventilating shaft was still there. The air was getting heavier and heavier and he sensed Felipe was terrified. At first the boy held himself onto the caballero's shirt, but then his hand had moved until it had grabbed Diego's hand. Despite the warm, heavy air of the mine the child's hand felt chilly and the caballero felt him jerk when they passed too close to mice, spider webs and a few occasional bat. 'So long, big man… here is the teen ager boy again…' he thought, half in fun and half in tenderness. 'Hang on, Felipe. I know it's here somewhere.' He told him frequently. And finally a huge smile appeared on the man's face. 'There it is, come on!'

While Felipe caught his breath leaning against a beam, Diego worked to open the passage a bit, so that Felipe and he himself could go through it. Then he helped Felipe climb out before following him.


	10. Chapter 10

Felipe would have stayed there, basking in the sun. He was tired, scared and he also felt guilty. If the two of them had gone through what they had gone through, it was because he had not been able to carry his task properly. Diego, however, knew that they were not the only persons who had been trapped in the mine. He couldn't leave them there to die. Besides they couldn't count on two very important things: the ability to run, because Felipe appeared truly to be exhausted, and horses.

They walked as fast as they could, both in silence. Suddenly, Felipe found the courage to ask: 'Am I in trouble? Are you angry with me?'

Diego smiled. 'I'm too relieved that you are not only alive, but also well that I can't possibly be angry with you right now. But we'll need to talk about a few things tonight. The first one will be why on earth did you enter a collapsing mine? – he looked at Felipe, who was looking down and patted his shoulder.- But we have a more urgent matter right now. Save your breath, Felipe . We still have a long way to go…' Felipe nodded. He was afraid he had disappointed Diego. He didn't want to!

At last they got to the cave. As soon as they were in, Felipe let himself drop onto the hay and watched as Diego turned himself into Zorro. Diego's mind was totally into saving the men still trapped in the cave, but Felipe thought at how things had gone differently just a few hours before. Now lives were truly at stake, before it had been like a game, at least for him. When Diego mounted the stallion Felipe asked to go with him. He was afraid of letting the caballero go alone. He had explosives with him and the boy was really afraid it would be the last time he would see his father alive.

'No, you must stay here. You cannot be seen with Zorro –said Diego. He couldn't risk the child's life again – Give me my other clothes. If all goes well, I'll soon need to appear as Don Diego.'

As the boy handed him the bundle of clothing, Diego couldn't help feeling sorry for his virtual son's anxious look. He smiled and thanked him, than he raised his thumb and wished himself success. Felipe smiled, but his eyes still looked fearful, as Zorro turned to leave. Suddenly Diego had a second thought and came back. 'Felipe, get something to eat then get a bath and change into clean clothing. We can't risk anyone to think you were in the mine with Zorro.' Reluctanctly, Felipe nodded and went up to the living room.

María, the head help and the one who had always had a maternal role both with Diego and Felipe, almost gasped when she saw the boy in her kitchen. Even before talking she put her hand onto the boy's forehead. 'What the heck happened to you? You look frightened and you positively reek. ' Felipe shook his head and signed he was only tired and needed something to eat. He had just been playing with some friends. The middle aged woman, who was as good as Diego at reading Felipe's language, gave him the benefit of the doubt and gave the boy some bread and some fruit juice, then, as he ate, she went and prepared his bath. She perfectly knew Felipe was treated by the De La Vegas as a caballero, almost, so she treated him the same way. Even though Felipe hated it, she stayed by him as he took his bath, occasionally showering him with more warm water. She couldn't help to notice bruises and a few scratches in the child's back and proceeded to clean them, much to the boy's protests. The liquid she poured on the little injuries stung and he hadn't expected to feel pain. He had been too worried about Diego, to worry about what was happening in his set of rooms. María picked Felipe's chin so that he looked into her eyes. 'Won't you tell your dear María what's troubling you? Have you done some kind of mischief? DO you think you are in trouble with the patrons? Do you need some cover? I've covered for you and for señor Diego so often, I don't really mind going on.' Felipe shook his head violently. He was in no trouble at all, he just was tired from too much rough playing. María ruffled Felipe's hair and handed him a warm towel, asking the boy to come out of the water before it got too cold. Felipe wrapped himself and, as María, went out with the tub, he rubbed himself dried and put clean clothes on. Then he went to the library and pretended to read. What he actually was doing, though, was looking out of the window to wait for Diego, who was not coming home apparently. Suddenly María appeared to lay the table for dinner. She looked at Felipe reading and came to him. She gently shook him and Felipe jumped. 'Are you still sure nothing happened?', she asked him in a worried look. Felipe nodded again. 'I've already washed your smelly cloth. I won't say a word.' The boy thanked her and she went back to the dining table she was supposed to prepare. Felipe ran after her and hugged her tight. Since he seldom did that any longer, it confirmed her that something had happened, but respected the boy's wish to keep that a secret.

The boy resumed his nervous reading. Suddenly, at last, he heard hoof beats. Diego was coming home. He left the book fall and ran out of the front door right as Diego, smiling, rode up to the gate and dismounted to announce the operation had been a total success. He walked toward Felipe to hug him, when the look on the child, and the fact that the boy pointed to something behind Diego, startled him. Then Felipe grabbed his arm and Diego, finally, turned. Gray Wing was riding up to the hacienda. Diego stopped breathing and refused looking at Felipe. His day was not over, yet, he still had to pretend.


	11. Chapter 11

Gray Wing announced that he had been on his way out of town when he had come across Zorro's trail. He was very close. Diego turned to Felipe ordering him to lock the door. As soon as Gray Wing turned his head toward Felipe, Diego knew he had made a mistake.

'Is that a rash on your neck?', the Indian asked the boy, who, in response, did the last thing he should have done: he touched a red patch on his neck and looked guilty. Diego cringed. He told the Indian the boy didn't speak, but Grey Wing was not interested into that. 'But he does eat berries. And too many of them will cause such a rash.' Diego grabbed Felipe by the back of his neck. His reply was quick. 'So my father and I keep telling him,- he explained as he moved to a bush next to the gate. – As you can see, he's nearly eaten the entire bush clean.'

Grey Wing smiled. He had understood. Before talking he became serious again, 'If Zorro should ever cross your path, tell him I owe him my life.'

Diego resumed his former position and replied that that was highly unlikely. 'But if that should ever happen, I would be happy to give him your message.'

The Indian nodded and turned, then he started walking away without turning back. Felipe relaxed, reached over and picked a berry from the bush. He had no time to put it into his mouth that Diego slapped him quite hard up the backside of his head. Felipe turned to Diego and defiantly popped the berry into his mouth. Diego reached out with both hands and pretended to choke the boy, who ducked out of Diego's grasp and ran toward the hacienda, laughing. Diego laughed himself as he watched Gray Wing ride away, then he breathed a sigh of relief, called Pedro so he would take care of his mare and went inside. He knew Felipe was in the cave tending to Tornado, and he needed some solitude to think about all of the things that had gone wrong, all imputable to Felipe's mistakes. Mistakes that had been made exclusively out of the young age of the perpetrator.

He went home and he had barely sat when María came and started telling him that she was worried for Felipe. He had returned home tired, smelly, frightened and with nasty looking scratches and bruises. 'He said he had been rough playing with some friends of his, but he looked quite worried. You don't think he was involved in some type of fight, do you? He's always been such a good, responsible boy! I had him take a bath and I quickly dabbed his scratches, but I think you should look into the matter yourself.' When she finished talking she looked at him who was answering he was going to do exactly that, then she wondered: 'Are you sure you're all right?'. Diego smiled at her. 'I'm just tired, María. Thank you! I've spent the night reading, then I joined the posse…'


	12. Chapter 12

María had barely disappeared through the kitchen door when Alejandro slammed the door as he came back. He had been to see the Governor and he was angry he had not found him. He looked at his son, all dirty and smelly, and was about to say something, then dropped he head and didn't ask. He knew it was totally useless to ask his son's questions. Diego looked at him for a while, then asked him something he had been wanting to ask for a very long time. 'Father, you know I think of Felipe as a son of mine.' 'And he'll keep being your only son, if you don't marry soon – commented the elder caballero.' Diego sighed. 'Well, that was not my point. I was wondering if, when we are alone, when we don't have guests, if Felipe could have dinner with us.' His father looked at him and realized it was important to his son. And, after all, he had wondered himself why they had to comply with traditions and social classes themselves, when their desires where totally different. He admired his son for asking him that very simple question. 'I'll immediately order María to add a place for tonight.'

As soon as Alejandro had disappeared himself, Diego reached for the mantelpiece and went to the cave. Felipe was asleep on the hay. Diego smiled tenderly. He couldn't even understand how much you could love someone who was not a fruit of your loins, someone who had been the son of someone else for some time in their life.. And yet he loved the boy so much that he'd rather die than have him harmed. He often had wondered whether he would ever be able to love his own sons and daughters as much as he loved this boy. And yet, today, he had placed the life of that very same boy into a very dangerous position. He went to his lab bar and prepared some cleaning solution and a salve cream, then he gently shook Felipe's shoulder. When the boy opened his eyes, he immediately straightened up, and asked what kind of trouble he was in and what the punishment was going to be. Diego chuckled. 'I think you've been punished quite well in the mine, don't you think?' Felipe smiled. 'Yet, we need to talk and I need to take a look at the bruises and scratches María talked me about.' Felipe's smiled faded. He knew he was going to dislike both the 'look' and the talk. Especially because he had seen what was on the tray Diego was holding. He tried to say that María had already cleaned them, but Diego simply smiled and ignored his protests. 'I know you don't like it. Take off your shirt. The sooner I start the sooner I'm finished.'

Felipe reluctantly obeyed. Diego started putting salve on the child's bruises and he had to ask Felipe to stop wiggling and jerking. When it was time to clean the small wounds he had to gently hold him. Felipe had never been brave concerning medical matters and he was jerking like crazy. 'Try keeping still, Felipe… I'm taking twice the time I would need if you kept still'. Felipe turned. He was fighting back tears as he complained that it stung bad. Diego smiled tenderly. 'I know, pal. Just a little more and I'm through.'

As Felipe put his shirt back on, Diego tidied up his supplies then he approached the boy again.

'Why did you go into the mine? You knew it was dangerous.'

Felipe looked down. He wasn't proud of his feelings, and yet he had to explain himself. 'I saw you coming. I was scared. I was also tired and in pain. I couldn't ride any longer. I saw a cave. I didn't even realize it was the mine. I only wanted to hide myself. So I dismounted and hid. But I heard footsteps coming so I went further on.'

Diego interrupted the child's talk. 'It was me who was following you.'

'I didn't know it was you. I was scared and then everything shook and the noise, the dirt that burned my eyes and the hot temperature… I realized I was in the mine. I'm sorry, but I was so scared!'

Diego sat by him and passed an arm around his shoulder. 'You did exactly what any boy your age would have done. You have nothing to blame yourself. It was me who made a huge mistake, Felipe. I expected you to act like a grown up man, but you are not. It was your leg that hurt you, right? It's because you're still too short to ride on such a tall horse. I didn't take that into any account. I didn't take into account that you might get hungry during your ride. And I certainly underestimated the fact that you could get scared. You are usually so brave it's way too easy to forget you are fourteen. The only real mistake you did was entering the mine when my father and I had told you hundreds of time not to. But you didn't do it because you wanted to be mischievous. You did it because you felt you had no other option. ' He squeezed the boy's hand. 'Felipe I'm sorry I put you into such a situation. I'm sorry, too, because what I'm going to say is gonna feel like it's punishment, but it's not really, it's mere survival. You are not going to help me directly any longer. I cannot risk the life of my child this way. I wouldn't survive if something happened to you because of me. Do you understand it's not a punishment?' Felipe nodded, but he was still very sad.

Diego smiled and patted the child's shoulder. 'Come on. It's dinner time and starting tonight you are eating with us. '


	13. Chapter 13

Felipe smiled, he truly did. He had been eating earlier than the adults, and by the time Diego and Alejandro sat at the table he already used to be in bed. Though during the day Felipe often could feel like a grown-up, being sent to bed when every-one else was still having dinner always made him feel he was a baby. He looked at Diego and asked if his bedtime was finally going to be postponed. 'Of course not, - said Diego. – We'll have dinner earlier.' Felipe's shoulders sanked and Diego laughed as he squeezed his shoulder. 'You have long and heavy days, you need your rest. You attend hard schooling, you do your chores around the house and you are a great help to Zorro. You need plenty of sleep to survived through such long days!'

They had reached the fireplace. A quick look through the viewing hole signaled that the coast was clear and they entered the library shortly before María announced dinner was ready. Once seated between Alejandro and Diego, Felipe turned shy. It wasn't the first time he had eaten with the De La Vegas. He often had lunch with them at Victoria's tavern. But being at the hacienda's table was totally different. Felipe was afraid he would make mistakes. Both Alejandro and Diego sensed Felipe's uneasiness, but reacted in a very different way, as they always did. Diego respected Felipe, Alejandro pushed him. 'I'm very glad Diego had the idea we could have dinner together. Are you, Felipe?' Still looking down Felipe nodded.

The first few minutes were awkward, then Diego started telling about his day as a posse member. He told about the Indian and how he had thought that a young man was helping Zorro and he was quite surprised by his father's reaction. 'I never thought Zorro could be such an irresponsible person. You don't involve a boy in such a dangerous adventure.' Diego found it very hard to control himself. 'Would you endangered Felipe's life like that? Of course not! The life of a child is far more important than any fight for freedom.' Felipe felt he needed to tell Alejandro his point of view. He would be honored to be of help to Zorro. Besides, he was no longer a child. 'Yes you are. Until you are capable and allowed to support yourself, to be independent, that's exactly what you are.' Diego realized Alejandro was getting angry. 'Felipe is safe at home, father. We'll keep him safe.'

Felipe looked at he two men. It was a weird family, but they all were a family indeed and Felipe felt a lot of affection for both. He smiled at Alejandro before yawning. He was really getting exhausted. Alejandro looked at him and at Diego, who shrugged. 'Go to bed, Felipe, – Alejandro ordered the boy. – You are going to get asleep while you eat!' Felipe smiled, wished good night and disappeared.

Alejandro and Diego finished eating while they talked about ranch business, then Diego went to check on the boy. As soon as he got into the child's bedroom, he couldn't avoid chuckling. Felipe was sprawled on the bed, fast asleep with his nightshirt in his hand and still wearing his clothes. Gently, Diego undid the boy's sash, carefully placed him into a more comfortable position in bed, then he took a blanket and carefully wrapped it around the boy. He kissed the child's forehead lightly and realized his father had been right. He had been irresponsible, he had failed Felipe. He knew he wasn't going to do that again. He couldn't risk his own son's life like that. Diego blew the lamp off, gave Felipe one more kiss and whispered 'Good night, son.' And he left the room.


	14. Very personal Notes

I wrote this story when I was abroad undergoing my fourth cycle of IVF, my eight cycle considering IUI. It was my last cycle. I couldn't bear the stress of expectations and disappointments any longer.

Well, now I'm in my sixth week of pregnancy. I still don't know if I'm expecting one or two babies, but I'm expecting.

I just wanted to share my happiness with you!


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